Expansible plug for oil wells



Sept. 9, 1.924. 1,507,983

H. M."ANDERSON v I zxnnszanrwe "Fox OIL mums Filed A ril 18. 1923 2- sxmm a-shuz- 1 Patented Sept. 9, 1924.

PATENT OFFICE.

' HARRY I. ANDERSON, OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS.

nxransmnn PLUG non on. WELLS.

Application filed April 18, 1923. Serial No. 632,911.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HARRY M. ANDERSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Antonio, in the county of Bexar and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Expansible Plugs for Oil Wells, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in expansible plugs for oil wells.'

One of t e objects of the present invention is to provide a lug which may be readily' and economica ly manufactured from cheap material and without the employment of any specially designed machinery and which, in use, may be readilydisposed within the well and expanded to plug the well.

to prevent the inflow of water into the bottom thereof.

Another object of the invention is' .to provide a plug for oil wells which will be ada ted to expand to true cylindrical form so t at u on expansion within the well tubing, it w1ll securely seal the tubing so that there can be no leakage of water or'oil past the plug; 4

Another 0 ject of the. invention is to provide a plug so constructed that when occasion requires, a quantity of putty or other 7 sealing material may be disposed within the plu when the plug is introduced into the wel and will be adapted to be forced to the exterior of the plug when the expanding mandrel is driven into place.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in elevation of the plug embodying the invention, the elements of the expansible body being shown relatively longitudinally displaced so as to reduce the diameterof the body of the plu Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 1 lustrating the plug expanded;

Fi ure 3 is a horizontal sectional view on the hue 3-3 of Figure 1 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Figure 4. is a similar view on the line 44 of Figure 2 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

- Figure 5 is a group perspective view 1llustrating the component arts of the lplug disassembled but arran e substantia y in the relationship which t ey willv occupy when assembled, so far as relative position is concerned.

Briefly stated, the plug embodyin the invention comprises an expansi le oa) indicatedin general by the numeral 1, and an expanding mandrel which is indicated in general by the numeral 2. The body 1, in its expanded form, takes the shape of a cylinder and the body is made up of a plurality of elements or staves certain of which are indicated by the numeral 3 and others by the numeral 4. All-of the elements 3 are of counter-part form of substantially rectangular cross section, and likewise all of the elements 4 are of counter-partform of substantially triangular cross section. Each element or stave 3 has downwardly converging flat, side faces 7 and upwardly converging inner and outer faces, the inner face 6 being fiat but the outer surface is transversely rounded as indicated by the numeral 5 so as to form a portion of the cylindrical siirface of the assembled body 1. Furthermore, this face 5 of each element 3 is disposed perpendicular and is parallel with the axis of the plug as a whole;

Each element 4 of the expansible body of the plug is of triangular cross section and has its face 8 which is resented outwardly, in the body 1. or assemb ed relation of the elements, transversely rounded as indicated by the numeral 8 on the curve of the cylinder body 1. As in the case of the face 5 of each element 3, the face 8 of the lement- 4 is disposed perpendicular, in the assemblage of the elements forming the body 1, and the line of longitudinal extent of this face is parallel to the axis of the plug as a whole. The two remaining faces of each element 4, which faces are indicated by the numeral 9, are fiat and are located in planes convergi'n 1nwardly from the face 8 and meeting to orm.

a common inner edge, and these faces are likewise converging in the direction of the upper end of the element. By reference the drawings and particularly by comparison of Figures 1 and 3 and 2 aud t, it will be understood that when the elements 3 and 4: 'are assembled by alternately arranging the elements about an axis and with the lower I 9 of the elements 4: meeting in the angles be:

- same into the bore. '40

tween adjacent faces 6 of the elements 3. This bore, due to the oblique disposal of the faces 6 of the elements 3, is tapered from its upper to its lower end, or in other words, from the upper end of the plug body to the lower end of said body. It will also be understood, and particularly by reference to Figure 1 of the drawings,

that when the elements 3 and 4 are respec-- tively moved longitudinally upwardly and downwardly with relation to each other, the body will-be contracted or reduced in circumference thus adapting it for ready introduction intothe well tube to be plugged. The elements or staves 3 and 4, when assembledto form the cylindrical body 1, together form a tapered point 15 at the lower end of the body 1 in order to still further facilitate the insertion of the-plug in the well.

The expanding mandrel 2 of the plug is in the form of an elongated-pyramidal core 10, the major upper end of which is provided with a preferably cylindrical driving head 11. The core 10 is "four-sided and is tapered to a point at its lower end.

In using the plug and in setting the same into place in the well tubing, the elements 3 and 4 are assembled and are then longitudinally relatively displaced as previously pointed out and as illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawings so that the plug body will then be of a reduced diameter. The assembla e is then introduced into the well tube, t e mandrel 2 having been loosely fitted into the bore of the body 1 provided by the assemblage of elements, and pressure or blows are then imposed upon the upper end of the expanding mandrel to force the Due to the tapered form of the bore and the tapered form of the mandrel, the elements com rising the body of the plug will be expan ed, and as the elements expand the body will assume a true cylindrical form and will finally completely fill and snugly fit within the well tube. The lower ends of the elements 4 of the bod will of course rest upon the 1 bottom of t e well at the time the elements obliquely are relativel displaced as shown in Figure 1 and it w be understood that as pressure is imposed or blows are'delivered upon the be long'tudinally moved together, their sposed side faces riding over one another and maintaining a close and fluid-tight contact. 7 The elements comprismandrel 2, will refera ing' the body 1 of the plu as well as the I 1y e made of relatively soft woo and it will therefore be evident that when the plug has been expended within the well tube, the inherent properties of the wood comprising the, elements and the mandrel will insure of a fluidtight fit. It will also beevident that the elements 3 only are acted upon by the mane anding mandrel, the elements 3 and 4.

drel and that the elements 4 perform a-useful and indispensable function by wedging between the side faces of adjacent ones of the elements 3 as the said elements 3 are forced outwardly and relatively away from each other by the driving in of the expanding mandrel, so that gaps which would otherwise occur between the said faces of the elements 3, will be completely closed, thus insuring of a fluid-tight fit of the plug body. 1 within the well tube.

Under some conditions, as for exam le, where the formation into which the p ug is to be set is of a porous nature, it will be desirable to make use of a sealing substance such for example as putty and this may be accomplished, during the use of the plug embodying the invention, by filling in a suitable quantity of putty, in a plastic state, in the bore of the body as provided by the assemblage of body elements, the introduction of the expanding mandrel and the driving of this mandrel into place with-'v in the bore, serving to expel the putty and cause the same to exude through the cracks between the body elements. of the plug and into the bore in the body of the lug and driven orotherwise forced into p ace so as to expandthe elements and thus-cause the plug to completely fill and close. the well tube. Because of the peculiar contour of the different body elements of the plugi the body of the plug, when expanded, wi assume and mamtain a true cylindrical form thus insuring of an exact fit within the well tube. It will furthermore be evident that any pressure from above or from below,

exerted upon the plug after it has been set into place, will serve to only the more'tightly wedge the plug in place within the well tube and will not effect a release of the plug as is likely in other constructions heretofore employed.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimled a's-nefi is: H l I 1. expansi v e we p comprising an assemblage of polyhedral y elements, certain of said elements havin plain, flat side faces converging in the direction of their lower ends and plain, flat inner faces inclined downwardly toward the axis of the assemblage, the intervening other-ones of the elements having located in u wardly conver ng planes and contacting t e side faces 0 the first mentioned elements between which they are disposed, the inclined inner faces of the first may be readily assembled and similar side faces mentioned elements defining a downwardly tapering bore of poly onal cross section and an expanding mandre operatively fitting in said bore.

2. An e rpansible well pliig oom rising an assemblage of mating elements 0 substantially rectan lar and triangular cross sections respectively havin their outer faces rounded transversel w ereby the assem- 10 blage is substantial y of cylindrical form,

the inner faces of therecta-ngular sectioned elements being located in p anes'inclining downwardly toward the axis of the assemblage hereby toprovide a downwardlytapered bore of polygonal cross section, and an expanding mandrel fitting in the bore.

In testimony whereof I aflix'my signature.

HARRY M. ANDERSON. [n 5.] 

